Seattle Family Sleepless While Their Cat is Stranded Atop Power Pole

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Sleepless In Seattle. Family Frantic While Their Cat Is Stranded Atop Power Pole In Their Neighborhood.

Kitty, a pudgy puss in Seattle, is back in his family’s loving arms after spending four nights atop a utility pole. The family was frantic — despite contacting every agency imaginable, no one was willing to shut off the power for the few minutes necessary to conduct the rescue. The family’s son, 13-year-old Gabe, who has raised money for numerous causes in the community, was frustrated at not being able to get some help when he needed to rescue his beloved cat. “We leave the window open and we can hear him crying all night,” he said.

Kitty had reached the top of the 40-foot pole and was perched near some 26,000 volt power lines. He’d apparently climbed the pole sometime Friday (perhaps chased up by a coyote) and refused to come down despite Gabe’s pleas and the lure of tuna. Attempts to reach the cat only drove him higher up the pole.

It was not until Seattle Light became worried that a Good Samaritan might be injured trying to rescue the cat that they dispatched two utility crews, a pair of bucket trucks, some non-conductive extension poles and assorted other safety equipment to the scene to bring Kitty down. Shortly thereafter, the fat black cat was safely back on terra firma.

“We’re pleased that the cat was able to get back to his owner,” said Scott Thomsen, spokesman for Seattle City Light. He explained that rescuing cats is not something the utility company usually does. The agency made an exception because Kitty’s dilemma had become something of a cause in the Magnolia neighborhood. “This was an extraordinary set of circumstances,” said Thomsen.